Tennis Technology and Training
Shortly after the conclusion of the 2020 US Open, I wrote an article about the prominent use of the IcyBreeze Portable Air Conditioners that were in use at the tournament. In 2021, the devices are still in use. However, they are much harder to spot this year.
Perhaps with spectators at this year’s event, the television camera’s are framing the shots of the players bench areas differently this year. An alternate explanation is that the devices are now placed between the player seating area and the umpire’s chair which somewhat hides them from view. Since there are very few items in and around the US Open that aren’t sponsored, the new placement to a less visible area might be an intentional decision.
For those of you who missed the post from last year, an IcyBreeze is essentially a wheeled ice chest portable air conditioner. It would be a legitimate thing for a player to drag onto a court for a league or a tournament match. Since the unit is powered by a lithium ion battery, it doesn’t require an external power source for operation. I find nothing in the rule book that prohibits a player from bringing their own air conditioning unit on court.
Once upon a time, I bought a cheap box fan from a nearby supercenter and plugged it into an adjacent outlet near spectator area during one of my daughters USTA matches. The other parents sweltering on the aluminum bleachers were very appreciative of the gesture. I would think that the IcyBreeze portable Air Conditioner would kick the notoriety up a notch.
Sadly, I still do not have one of these devices nor have I had the opportunity to try one out in practice. If I keep writing about it every year, that will eventually change… right? Unfortunately, they are really expensive and in short supply at the moment.
 | IcyBreeze V2 Pro Portable Air Conditioner & Cooler with Rechargeable Battery (Molten Red) |
